On the cusp of the Winter Meetings, MLB insider Robert Murray reported that outfielder Bryan Reynolds had requested a trade from the Pittsburgh Pirates. The news immediately peaked White Sox fans’ interest. It’s no secret that the White Sox need an outfielder, and Reynolds has quietly been one of the best in the game. 

In four seasons, the 27-year-old has a career .281 batting average, with 74 home runs, 239 RBIs, and a 127 OPS+. He has hit 20-plus homers in each of the last two seasons and was named an All-Star in 2021. Reynolds finished 11th in the MVP voting, thanks partly to his .912 OPS and league-leading eight triples. He had a bit of a down year in 2022 that still saw him slash .262/.345/.461 with 27 home runs and a .807 OPS. He is the perfect combination of power and average that every team wants. 

Reynolds does post large strikeout numbers. He struck out 191 times in 2022 and ranked in the 29th percentile in whiff rate. However, his outfield defense makes up for any strikeout concerns. 

The former second-round pick can play all three outfield positions but has spent most of his time in center field. In 2021 he ranked first in fielding percentage and second in range factor amongst all National League centerfielders. In 2022 he ranked in the top 25 percentile in sprint speed and arm strength. 

His range would allow the White Sox to have a plus defender in the corner outfield whether they shift Robert from centerfield or turn Reynolds into their right fielder. 

Unfortunately, Pirates beat writer Jason Mackey rained on the parade when he reported that the Pirates have no intention of trading him and that Reynolds’s trade request will have no impact on their decision-making this off-season. 

The Pirates are in the midst of a rebuild. However, Reynolds is under contract until 2026, making him a cornerstone piece that the front office wants to build around. Not only is he controllable, but he is cheap. He is set to earn $6.75MM this season in the second year of a two-year, $13MM extension. He’ll then be under club control for a further two seasons via arbitration before becoming eligible for free agency after the 2025 season.

But every man has their price. With the right offer, the White Sox could pry an unhappy Reynolds from the Pirates. If the White Sox want to acquire his services, they will need to give up some controllable MLB-ready talent and some prospects. 

What They Would Have To Give Up

If the Pirates are going to give up a controllable asset, then the White Sox are going to have to a lot. They may also have to outbid a few teams with better prospects. 

The Mariners have tried to acquire Reynolds on two separate occasions and the Seattle Times reported that Julio Rodgriguez, the 2022 AL Rookie of the Year, was part of the asking price. Jon Morosi also reported that the Blue Jays, Marlins, and Yankees had shown interest. 

Here are some players the White Sox may have to give up in a trade package. 

Michael Kopech

Kopech is a major league-ready pitcher with a ton of upside. The former top pitching prospect in baseball has shown flashes of greatness but has struggled to stay healthy. The rebuilding Pirates can afford to be patient with Kopech. The contending White Sox cannot. 

Garrett Crochet

Another young major league-ready pitcher that any team would love to have. Crochet can be used as a weapon out of the bullpen but has his sights set on being a starter. The Pirates would provide him an avenue to join the rotation where he could develop into a future ace. He is coming off of Tommy John surgery, so Crochet would definitely be a sweeter, not a headliner in any trade package. 

Reynaldo Lopez

Continuing the trend of young pitching, Lopez is a hard-throwing right-hander who projects to be a future closer. The White Sox won’t be parting ways with Dylan Cease, so realistically, the White Sox would have to give up at least two of the three listed above. 

Andrew Vaughn 

The White Sox would also have to give up a young position player. Trading Luis Robert would make no sense because the whole point of adding Reynolds is to add to the outfield. 

It is hard to see the White Sox trading Eloy Jimenez since he has the most power in the lineup. That means Vaughn is the odd man out. Gavin Sheets is still capable of playing first base.

Colson Montgomery 

Montgomery is one of the few good prospects in the White Sox farm system. If the White Sox are going to put together a trade package, the Pirates are going to want some prospects. It would be hard to see Montgomery being left out of that package. 

Is Reynolds Worth It?

Reynolds’s price tag is expensive. But he checks a lot of boxes for the White Sox. When the team moved on from Abreu, it signaled that the experiment of placing first baseman in the outfield was over. Pedro Grifol said during his introductory press conference that the defense needed to improve. All signs point to the White Sox want to upgrade their outfield defense. 

Reynolds would do just that. With Robert and Reynolds in the same outfield, the White Sox would have the range of two centerfielders covering two-thirds of their outfield. Adding Reynolds to the fold instantly improves the outfield defense. 

It also adds an element of pop to the lineup. In Pittsburgh, Reynolds has been operating with little to no lineup protection. He would have much more in Chicago. 

It is also a long-term investment. Not only does he line up with their championship window, but the team can also build around him in the future. If the White Sox don’t want to spend the money on impactful talent in the outfield, they have to bite the bullet and trade for it. But giving up pieces of your core seems counter-productive. The Pirates are overvaluing Reynolds, so no price they give up will be worth it in terms of the production they get back.